Ingredients
1 1/2 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cup milk
2/3 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 oz semisweet chocolate
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 cup fresh spearmint leaves*
2 tbsp fresh spearmint leaves, chopped
Directions
*Leaves are "hardpacked:" measure by pressing down on leaves in
measuring cup with your fingers.
In a heavy 2-quart saucepan or double boiler over medium-low heat,
stir and heat the cream, milk, and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
Do not boil.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks lightly. While whisking, pour 1
cup of the hot cream mixture into the bowl, then pour the egg mixture
back into the saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Stir
constantly with a wooden spoon (don't let the mixture boil; it could
curdle) for about 8 minutes, or until it begins to thicken and coats
the spoon. To test for doneness, dip a metal spoon into the mixture
and run your finger across the back. The custard is done when your
finger leaves a clear, clean trail. A candy thermometer should read
175-180 degrees F. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the
vanilla.
While heating the ice-cream base, melt the chocolate in a double
boiler over hot but not simmering water, stirring occasionally.
Off heat, pour about 1 cup of the prepared hot ice-cream base into the
melted chocolate and whisk until well blended. Pour the chocolate
mixture back into the remaining vanilla base and whisk again. Stir in
the hard-packed mint leaves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for
at least 1 hour. The longer it is refrigerated, the stronger the mint
flavor will be.
Strain the mixture and add the chopped mint leaves. Pour the mixture
into an ice-cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's
instructions.
Source: "The Herb Companion" August/September 1996
Servings: 1 batch
Chocolate-Fresh Spearmint Ice Cream Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Chocolate; Dessert; Ice Cream; Pear
The History of Recipes
Transcribed cooking instructions as an idea can be observed way back into distant history, certainly as far as the early Egyptians, and possibly even further. In practice though, sadly, these old recipes were just primitive hieroglyphic recipes for preparing meals.
Fascinatingly, the oldest recipe found, according to experts are a few tablets in the Sumerian language which describe the preparation of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as making people feel wonderful and blissful. Moving our culinary historical trip onwards, there were a couple of cookery books dating from the 1300s : a recipe book published under the title `Forme of Cury`, and another named `Curye on Inglish`. The titles are a little misleading though, these two books are unconnected to the indian curry that is served today, but instead recipes for the types of meals on the tables of the rich people of those days. In the 15th century, knights returning from the crusades brought back a variety of foods, spices and herbs from the Middle-East, including spices such as parsley, basil and rosemary. The introduction of these new tastes led to an eruption in recipe books, the majority of which are kept safe in private collections. Over the following few centuries, the upper-class families of the West competed to lay on the most exotic banquets, and as a result chefs and their collection of recipes became highly prized. Notwithstanding that, it was during the 19th century that cookery and cookery books became popular. The Famous Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and the equally famous Fannie Merritt Farmer in the USA, dedicated years of their lives to assembling, testing, and recording recipes that were common in the better off homes of the day. When we get to the 1900s, cookery publications were highly popular due to increased literacy, increased leisure time and disposable income. The arrival of TV brings us TV cooks and the accompanying recipe books. And that neatly brings us to the present day and the internet revolution, permitting us all to search through thousands of recipes just like those on this web site. |
We hope you enjoy this Chocolate Fresh Spearmint Ice Cream recipe.
